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Subject:Re: Best Practices in Indicating Versions From:"Moore, Jenna" <Jenna -dot- Moore -at- per-se -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 24 Jul 2003 09:00:50 -0400
In my office we have several ways of tracking new functionality. We do use
extensive version numbers (V 9.2.1.5, for example), but that's only because
the developers use that for the product. With a User Manual over 700 pages,
that is not terribly helpful for finding out what's changed. :)
The first thing we do to help the customer with this is create a small
document of Release Announcements. This lists all changes that have occurred
in the program that a user is expected to encounter. IOW, we leave out
anything that is invisible to the user. This includes new functionality and
bug fixes. Each item is described in a couple of sentences.
The second is a "Tour" document we create that showcases the new
functionality and gives exercises to help familiarize the user with the new
features.
The last items is an online video tour that shows in real time how to use
the new features. This is really a video capture of the new features being
used with audio description, text description and other graphical
enhancements added to improve usability.
Our users appear to be fairly happy with what they're getting, according to
the surveys we receive.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Jenna Parsons Moore
Senior Technical Writer, Resource1 Publications
Per-Se Technologies
300 W. Morgan Street
Durham, NC 27701
919-564-2362
-----Original Message-----
Hi,
So, anyone have research on best practices on indicating changed
documents?
<snip>
What are you doing that seems to work with your users? Any advice'd be
most appreciated.
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